Pages

Aug 29, 2012

Sliders

If Time Tunnel got everything right, Sliders (1995-2000) got everything wrong. This time four people are lost among infinite parallel dimensions, zapping at random through a world where the British won the Revolutionary War, a world where the 1967 "Summer of Love" never ended, and so on. Jerry O'Connell (previously of Stand By Me and My Secret Identity) starred as the sullen but hunky physics student Quint; the others were his physics professor (John Rhys-Davies), his platonic gal-pal (Sabrina Lloyd), and a R&B singer who just happened to be driving by at the wrong moment (Cleavant Derricks).

The hunk factor was immense. Jerry O'Connell is no stranger to beefcake shots; really, the only reason to rent his moves (Body Shots, Tomcats, Buying the Cow) is to fast-forward to the inevitable underwear scene. In Sliders his body was on display, often, but always when he was romancing a woman or being tortured by men.

Whatever the parallel world they zap into, men exist to befriend and then betray you; they always have an ulterior motive, they always are in league with the enemy. Women exist to be rescued, to offer alliances, and to fall in love with men.

And there were no gay characters, no gay themes, no nothing. Everyone in every parallel world was heterosexual. This is surprising, since John Rhys-Davies played gay characters elsewhere, and Jerry O'Connell is one of the most gay-friendly actors in Hollywood.

But maybe not surprising. Science fiction as a genre has been very resistant to gay characters. After thirty years and eight different series, there are no gay characters in any Star Trek franchise. None in Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate -- well, actually, none anywhere. Producers continue to dream of gay-free new worlds.

When Gay Was Unspoken

Beefcake, male bonding, and gay symbolism in the movies, tv programs, books, toys, and comics of a Baby Boomer childhood. Some autobiographical stories and stories about beefcake around the world.

Note: Most posts are about how gay people can find meaning in homophobic or heterosexist texts. If you don't want to hear about that, stay away. No profanity, insults, anti-gay slurs, name-calling,or homophobia allowed. You will be blocked, and comments on the post will be disabled.